A new Maldives property, Finolhu, is set to open in late June from the same Australian management team The Small Maldives Island Co. also behind sister-property Amilla Fushi.
The resort aims for a fun, funky and relaxed vibe that plays homage to the era of timeless, classic travel with retro design elements. The resort will open the first official beach club in The Maldives, Crab Shack, on its one-kilometre sandbank. A second Salt Grill following on from the first at Amilla Fushi, will serve modern Australian cuisine from island restaurateur, chef Luke Mangan.
Guests can reach the resort’s 41 one-bedroom ocean villas and nine, two-bedroom ocean villas in a 20-minute seaplane ride from Male airport. Finolhu is also a 30-minute speedboat ride from Amilla Fushi.
The spa facility, named The Cove, features 10 spa pods based around a particular pop culture figure eg: Bette Middler and Aretha Franklin. The resort will be family-friendly, with an Oceaneer’s Club featuring an artist studio and pottery kiln, a kid’s kitchen, private cinema, dress-up studio and a dedicated family day where all generations of the family can participate in various excursions.
An Australian resort manager, Rochelle Kilgariff, adds to the Australian team bringing her extensive experience to the resort – having previously worked at Thailand’s exclusive Soneva Fushi and properties in Bali, Oman and Indonesia. finolhu.mv